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Somerset, NJ -- Two student-athletes from Saint Francis (PA), along with one each from Monmouth, Sacred Heart, St. Francis (NY) and Wagner comprise the 2008-09 Northeast Conference (NEC) Winter Scholar-Athlete award winners. In addition to the Scholar-Athletes, the NEC also announced its winter academic honor roll, consisting of 499 student-athletes with a 3.20 or better cumulative grade point average, over a 30 percent increase from last winter. Likewise, a total of 116 student-athletes were named to the Commissioner’s Honor Roll, which honors those with a 3.75 or better grade point average. All Scholar-Athlete award winners must have earned a minimum of 60 semester hours, maintained a minimum cumulative grade-point-average of 3.20 and participated with distinction as a member of a varsity team.
Sacred Heart forward Joey Henley (Kent, WA/Kentride), a graduate student, makes its four consecutive Scholar-Athlete of the Year winners for the Pioneer men’s basketball program. He joins former teammates Drew Shubik, who won the award in both 2006-07 and 2007-08, and Kibwe Trim, the winner in 2005-06. Henley finished up his stellar career in 2008-09 as a first team all-NEC selection after averaging career-bests of 15.7 ppg and 6.7 rpg to rank sixth in the league in both categories. He also established a single-season program record in leading the NEC in field goal percentage at 62.6 percent. Over a four-game stretch in February, the Kent, WA native converted a school record 20 consecutive field goal attempts, five short of the NCAA mark. Additionally, he posted five double-doubles and scored 20+ points on seven occasions. The two-time NEC all-star compiled 1,397 points in his career, the second-highest total in Sacred Heart’s Division I history, while also ranking first in program annals with 647 rebounds (41st in NEC history) and a .586 field goal percentage. Henley, who was named to the ESPN The Magazine District I Academic All-America team, majored in Business and is currently pursuing a Masters in Business Administration. He carries a 3.40 grade point average.
Monmouth senior forward Jennifer Bender (Staten Island, NY/Staten Island Tech) claims NEC Scholar-Athlete honors in women’s basketball. Bender was tabbed to the all-NEC first team this past season after earning second team plaudits in 2007-08. She led Monmouth with 16.2 ppg and 7.9 rpg, figures that placed her sixth and fifth in the league, respectively. Bender also ranked sixth in double-doubles (with eight), ninth in field goal percentage (.451) and 15th in free throw shooting (.753). She was named the MVP and Defensive Player of the Tournament in leading Monmouth to the UTEP Turkey Classic championship in November. Bender, who hails from Staten Island, NY, became the 14th player in Monmouth history to reach 1,000 points and closed out her star-studded career sixth on the school’s all-time list with 1,301 points and 727 rebounds. She has compiled a 3.50 grade point average majoring in Communications.
St. Francis (NY) junior Alexandra Stein (Brooklyn, NY/Lincoln) is the inaugural women’s bowling Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Stein posted a team-best 186.5 overall season average and compiled four 200+ scores (212, 245, 224 and 221) over the course of three NEC competitions this year for the Terriers. She rolled 150 strikes during NEC play, and her 2,871 pinfall total over 15 traditional team games (191.4 average) ranked her in the top-10 in the conference. In an outstanding performance during the second NEC meet, she filled all 20 frames against Long Island and left only nine percent of her frames open in the meet. Stein, a Brooklyn native who has been named an NTCA Honorable Mention All-American and a second team NTCA Academic All American in both her freshman and sophomore years, maintains a 3.70 grade point average as a Physical Education major.
Wagner junior Jessica Hart (Montreal, Canada/Northwest) is the recipient of the NEC Scholar-Athlete award in women’s swimming. Hart received the Outstanding Swimmer award at the 2009 NEC Championships in February after setting a pair of conference records in the preliminaries of both the 100 butterfly (54.07) and 200 butterfly (2:00.46). Her time in the 100 butterfly enabled her to become the first swimmer in Wagner history to meet the NCAA "B" standard in an event. Hart went on to deliver dominating performances in the finals of both events, winning the 100 butterfly by over four seconds in 54.23 and the 200 butterfly in excess of seven seconds after clocking in at 2:00.48. In addition, she finished second in the 50 freestyle and was a member of Wagner’s first place 200 and 400 freestyle relay teams as the Seahawks finished a close second overall behind CCSU. A first team all-NEC performer in both butterfly events and a second team honoree in the 50 freestyle, she went on to win the 100 butterfly and finish second in the 200 butterfly at the ECAC Championships. Entering her senior year, the Montreal product currently holds school records in the 50 free, 100 fly and 200 fly. Hart is a Business Administration major with a 3.78 grade point average.
Saint Francis (PA) senior sprinter Jorden Davis (Mississauga, Ontario/Loyola Catholic) collects NEC Scholar-Athlete accolades in men’s indoor track and field. Davis’ performance in a pair of individual events helped the Red Flash reclaim the NEC Championship in February with a five-point victory over Monmouth. He posted a convincing victory in the 400 meters, crossing the tape in 48.58, and also took second in the 200 meters with a time of 22.20. Both marks qualified Davis for the IC4A Championships, where he placed 14th in the 400 meters and 19th in the 200 meters. He also struck gold at the NEC meet in the distance medley relay, running the second leg for the Red Flash, which won the event in 10:32.90. Davis, a Mississauga, Ontario native, closed out his career as a two-time NEC individual champion, having also captured the 400 meters outdoors at the 2007 championship meet. Davis majors in Marketing and carries a 3.34 grade point average.
Saint Francis (PA) junior distance runner Anna Hoffman (Enon Valley, PA/Mohawk) takes home NEC Scholar-Athlete accolades in women’s indoor track and field. Hoffman won her fourth and fifth individual titles at the NEC Championships in February, finishing first in the 3,000 meters (10:07.06) and 5,000 meters (17:54.05). A year ago, the Enon Valley, PA product won the 5,000 meters in a meet record time of 17:23.11, and has also claimed individual crowns outdoors in both the 3,000 meter steeplechase and 5,000 meters. She has also logged three top-10 finishes over the course of her career at the NEC Cross Country Championships. An Elementary Education/Special Education major, Hoffman maintains a 3.84 grade point average.
2008-09 Northeast Conference Winter Scholar-Athletes
Sport Name School Cl GPA Major
Men’s Basketball Joey Henley Sacred Heart Gr 3.40 Business/MBA
Women’s Basketball Jennifer Bender Monmouth Sr 3.50 Communications
Women’s Bowling Alexandra Stein St. Francis (NY) Jr 3.70 Physical Education
Women’s Swimming Jessica Hart Wagner Jr 3.78 Business Administration
Men’s Indoor Track Jorden Davis Saint Francis (PA) Sr 3.34 Marketing
Women’s Indoor Track Anna Hoffman Saint Francis (PA) Jr 3.84 Elementary Education/
Special Education